Pacer Umesh Yadav creates history with the bat, hits 31 off 10 balls

Who said a bowler cannot bat? India’s Umesh Yadav showed the top-order how to bat with his record five sixes in the ten balls he faced from George Linde on day 2 of the third and final Test against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday (October 20).

Yadav smashed two sixes in the first balls he faced. In the next over he hit three more sixes before he finally departed at 31 runs, which is Yadav’s highest score in the longest format of the game.

With this performance, Yadav took two records. He became the fastest player in Test cricket history to score 30-plus runs, surpassing Stephen Fleming, who had scored 31 runs (not out) in 11 balls against South Africa in 2004.

Also read: Rohit Sharma hits maiden Test double ton, India declares innings at 497/9

Yadav also earned a strike rate of 310 in the Indian innings which is the highest strike rate in Test history of a player facing 10-plus balls.

The Indian paceman paved way for the hosts to reach closer to set a 500-run target for the Proteas before captain Virat Kohli declared the Indian innings at 497 for nine at tea.

Indian are already leading the World Test Championship points table and a 3-0 clean sweep of this home series would give them 40 points to maintain the lead.

India have already clinched the first two Tests in Visakhapatnam and Pune and are eyeing the third and final one too before they head to face Bangaldesh in November.